DAILY HOMILIES #preach

Our churches in Africa are packed full not because we are converted Christians but because of the prevailing economic situation of our continent. These souls who ate the loaves and fishes were not believers but spectators. A good number of those who fill up seats in our churches today are just spectators. This explains the stark contradiction between our lives and that of Christ. Should it happen that our continent becomes better economically, this mammoth crowd of spectators will leave and only true Christians will remain.

God did not prevent the apostles from being arrested but He rescued them from prison. Sometimes, it may look as though our enemies are succeeding but God always has a plan. Be patient. By freeing the apostles from prison, God made it clear to the high priest and his companions that nothing, not even the prison chains can stop the message of salvation from reaching the ends of the earth.

Is there a contradiction between what I preach and what I do? Am living in pretense? Then as the prophet Isaiah says today: “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doing from before my eyes, learn to do good, seek justice, correct oppression, defend the fatherless, plead for the widow…” (Isaiah 1:16ff).

Just as Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus, the Feast of St. Andrew introduces the Church to the season of Advent. St. Paul in today’s first reading says: “How beautiful are the feet of one who brings Good News.”

Time has come for us men and women of God to realize that Jesus sent us to preach not to work miracles. Some ministers today have landed themselves in trouble in a bid to satisfy their congregation with at least one miracle or the other during church services forgetting that their primary duty is to preach.

Am I simply a signboard that points to a particular direction but never goes there? On the other hand, have I become a stumbling block preventing others from going to heaven through my scandalous actions?